1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image photographing and recording device and method, and in particular, to an image photographing and recording device which can photograph and record images, and to an image photographing and recording method which can be applied to the image photographing and recording device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Still images have advantages such as they can easily be browsed through and enjoyed when stored as photographic prints, and the like. Dynamic images are applied to the recording of scenes in which there is movement, and the like. Thus, still images and dynamic images have their respectively different characteristics. Therefore, in recent years, it has become common to provide a function for photographing and recording a subject of photographing as a dynamic image at a digital still camera (DSC), which is originally for photographing and recording a subject of photographing as a still mage (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 9-83873). Further, it has also become common to add to a digital video camera, which is originally for photographing and recording a subject of photographing as a dynamic image, a function for photographing and recording a subject of photographing as a still image. Photographing and recording devices, which are provided with both a function for photographing and recording still images and a function for photographing and recording dynamic images, are coming into general use.
Further, in relation to the aforementioned, JP-A No. 2004-172978 discloses an image pickup device of a structure in which a CCD, an image pickup lens, and a shutter which are for dynamic image photographing, and a CCD, an image pickup lens, and a shutter which are for static image photographing, are respectively provided. When a release operation is carried out at the time of dynamic image display or at the time of recording, a static image is photographed by the CCD for static image photographing, and is recorded on a memory card.
As disclosed above photographing and recording devices having a function for photographing and recording static images and a function for photographing and recording dynamic images as described above, structured so as to be able to selectively photograph and record either one of a static image or a dynamic image, are common, as in JP-A No. 9-83873 for example. However, because static images and dynamic images have their respectively different characteristics as described above, there is the need to record the same scene as both a static image and a dynamic image. However, even in a photographing and recording device which is equipped with a function which photographs and records static images and a function which photographs and records dynamic images, the photographing operations in a case in which, for example, a static image is to be photographed and recorded at a desired timings while also photographing and recording a subject of photographing as a dynamic image, are extremely difficult. In order to overcome this, considered has been to, at the time of photographing a subject of photographing, record the results of photographing as dynamic image data, and cut-out the static image data from the dynamic image data after photographing.
However, for static images, the standard demanded for image quality is relatively high, whereas the number of pixels of one frame of dynamic image data, which is photographed and recorded by this type of photographing and recording device, is generally about VGA size (640×480 pixels). Even if static image data is cut-out from dynamic image data which has been photographed and recorded, highly-detailed static image data cannot be obtained. Further, image photographing and recording devices, which can record highly-detailed dynamic images corresponding to high definition television (HDTV) size (e.g., 1280×720 pixels, or more), also have started to appear on the market. In this type of photographing and recording device, a format which compresses by using frame correlation, such as MPEG or the like for example, is employed as the recording format for recording the dynamic image data onto a recording medium. When an attempt is made to cut-out static image data from such dynamic image data, there is the need for the image regenerating processing to regenerate or the like the cut-out object static image from both difference data and reference static image data which is included in the dynamic image data. A great burden is made on the device, and further, the image quality of the static image data which is cut-out is insufficient.
Moreover, in photographing and recording static image data, in order to obtain high-quality static image data which is good for enjoyment, generally, image processing, such as contour enhancement processing and the like, for the purposes of improving the image quality is carried out on the image signal outputted from the image pickup element, and thereafter, the image signal is recorded on the recording medium as static image data. In contrast, in photographing and recording a dynamic image, in order to obtain a dynamic image which does not cause a strange feeling when viewed, generally, image processing such as smoothing, which makes the differences between frames smaller, and removal of the high frequency components, and the like is carried out on the image signal outputted from the image pickup element, and thereafter, the image signal is recorded on the recording medium as dynamic image data. In this way, the suitable types of image processing for static images and dynamic images are different, and images processing, such as smoothing or the like which is carried out on dynamic image data, is a cause of deterioration in the image quality of static image data which is cut-out from the dynamic image data. Accordingly, the image signal outputted from the image pickup element at the time of photographing is recorded on the recording medium as dynamic image data, and even if an attempt is made to cut static image data out from the dynamic image data after photographing, there is the problem that static image data which is highly-detailed and is of satisfactory image quality cannot be obtained.
Further, in the technique disclosed in JP-A No. 2004-172978, a CCD, an image pickup lens, and a shutter are provided respectively for dynamic image photographing and for static image photographing. Although the photographing and recording of a static image can be carried out in parallel with the photographing and recording of a dynamic image, the problem arises that the structure of the device is complex and costs increase.